Ionia man details being shot by gunman who was later killed by police: 'Everyone was screaming'

IONIA, MI-- Days after Cody Philips suffered wounds from a gunman who was later fatally shot by an Ionia sheriff’s deputy, all he can think is how things could have been worse.

Yes, Philips has counted more than 80 welts and “holes” all over his body since the startling events unfolded Friday morning.

But he’s more concerned about others who were standing around him that day. And he’s thankful a friend who also was struck by a few pellets — Troy Townsend — is recovering.

“Everyone was screaming,” Philips, 21, said, recalling the daze he was in that morning. Several others were nearby.

“Thank God it was me and Troy standing there and we got shot instead of the little kids that were standing there.”

Police are investigating and an Ionia sheriff’s deputy is on administrative leave after gunfire was exchanged Friday morning on West Main Street.

Ionia Public Safety officers first went to a home in the 900 block there to check on a man’s welfare. His parents had called from Arizona and said their son was behaving strangely.

The man stepped from behind a home as officers were looking for him and fired shots that struck Townsend and Philips as they stood on the front porch of a nearby residence.

State police and Ionia sheriff’s officials arrived on scene just after 10:30 a.m. and the man reportedly fired six rounds at officers before walking east on Main Street with his gun in a “ready” position.

He then fired one round at an Ionia sheriff’s deputy. The deputy fired a fatal shot back, police said.

Ionia Sheriff Dwain Dennis said the man ignored officers’ demands to put his weapon down and instead fired. He has not yet been identified by authorities. It is not clear what led to his erratic behavior.

As Philips thinks back on that morning, he still can’t believe how quickly things unfolded.

He had been at Townsend’s West Main Street home earlier that day—around 8:30 a.m. —and saw the shooting suspect outside weed-wacking. Nothing seemed unusual.

He came back later and was talking with Townsend on the porch, relaxing. A 13-year-old girl was standing nearby. Philips’ mother was off to the side and his 15-month-old daughter in a vehicle parked in the driveway.

Then, the shots came.

“I ran back, hit the wall,” Philips said, describing how he moved to get low to the porch floor. He described the pain—coming from all over. “I was basically in shock.”

Those outside moved into the house, heading for safety.

Townsend had also been struck six or seven times, Philips said, but nothing compared to the 80-plus welts he suffered.

Minutes later, an officer knocked on the door and escorted Philips and Townsend to an ambulance.

Philips later realized at the hospital how serious his injuries could have been. Scars covered his 6-foot, 360-pound frame. He had been wearing only a T-shirt and shorts at the time.

“They said if I was smaller, I would have been dead because of the impact and how many pellets I got,” Philips said. Some were “a quarter-inch” from his eye.

Doctors decided to leave the pellets in Philips’ body rather than surgically removing them. The possibility he could incur further damage as doctors cut around them or dug them out was too great, he said.

He’ll be in pain for awhile. Doctors estimate the wounds on Philips’ body won’t heal for at least 7 or 8 months.

He questions today why police did not make area residents aware that day that something was amiss on the street. Things unfolded so quickly, and could have been worse with several children around, Philips said.

But he’s grateful others were not injured.

Holes in windows and marks on the porch are a reminder of how serious the morning’s events could have gotten, Philips said.